Why is it easier to move things on wheels than to carry them? The weight increases after all because of the weight of the wheels.
In: Physics
Cause the wheels carry that weight while you just shove the mass perpendicular to gravity. When you carry it without wheels, it is the same as shoving a wheeled weight up a wall.
Are you carrying both items? Or are you pushing the thing on wheels?
When you are pushing the object, you don’t need to support the weight of the object, just supply enough force to turn the wheels. When you carry and object you have to both support the weight and provide the force for movement.
When you move something on wheels you are not holding up its weight, the wheels are. You are just providing the horizontal force, which can be much much less than the force to hold up its weight.
If you load a sled and pull it, you’re resisting friction and friction is proportional to the weight of the load. If you load a cart and push it, the wheels are actually using friction to rotate against the ground. Thus you’re actually using friction to your advantage and the only negative effects friction has are on the wheels bearings and the air resistance which are negligible compared to the friction felt on a sled.
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